Undergraduate Pre-Medicine

Foundational education before medical school

Pathway for undergraduate students with a desire to address society's health care needs.

Pre-Allopathic Medicine

For students considering medical school, USD's pre-medicine program is a great head start. The program lets students earn a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Art degree while meeting undergraduate requirements for entrance into the Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota.

The science requirements for admission into medical school make it convenient for you to choose a science major. However, it's also possible to meet the requirements while earning a degree in a major other than science. Typically, a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in science and minors in social sciences and humanities would be a good combination to help prepare you for admission to medical school.

Pre-med students should keep in mind that the Sanford School of Medicine requires applicants to have completed, as a minimum, one year each, including laboratory, of coursework in Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. Other courses that help prepare students for medical school include Genetics, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Psychology, Sociology and Statistics. Please note that principles and concepts from the academic discipline areas listed above will be tested on in the new Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) introduced in January, 2015.

Students interested in applying to the Sanford School of Medicine should keep in mind that students are selected for its program based on the following:

American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score

Academic performance, including undergraduate GPA

Three letters of evaluation from faculty

A personal interview with Medical School faculty to determine potential for medical practice, maturity, motivation and ability to work with people

Students admitted to the Sanford School of Medicine complete four years of professional study followed by at least three additional years of post-graduate experience (residency).

Pre-Osteopathic Medicine

Most schools of osteopathic medicine require a minimum of 90 semester hours of coursework and students are encouraged to earn a bachelor's degree. Students should take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and can apply to colleges of osteopathic medicine through the American Association of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS).